A digital look at your skin – why is it important?

What is a Digital Skin Analysis?

A Digital Skin analysis is an in-depth skin diagnostic tool, which paired with a detailed client consultation helps us look at all the variables in your skin that contribute to overall ageing. After taking a series of images, the highly detailed system analyses each skin category – spots, wrinkles, pores, porphyrins (bacteria), evenness and UV spots / Sun Damage. This way we can focus your treatment on the area of concern. This information gives you an accurate gauge of the health of your skin, which is interpreted by those around you as a reflection of your health and vitality.

What do we analyze?

RGB Spot– RGB stands for red, green and blue and we use a combination of LED lights to photograph the skin under a combination of these three colours- we will pick up brown or red skin lesions including freckles, acne scars, hyperpigmentation, vascular lesions, inflammation, spider veins or “acne” spots

RGB Pore– this is a little bit of a special one to record as everyone has pores so the normal % is a high one but we look at the degree of clogged pores. The circular surface opening of sweat gland ducts. The area of a pore is much smaller than a spot, so the system can distinguish between the two.

RGB Roughness– the roughness is relative to pore sizing and between 60-75% is considered normal, lower or higher will indicate a barrier impairment and will also link with a client’s habits. Primarily an analysis of skin smoothness, this setting measures colour and smoothness by identifying gradations in colour from the surrounding skin tones as well as “peaks and “valleys” on the skin which indication variations in the surface texture

RGB Wrinkle– furrows, folds or creases in the skin, which increase in occurrence because of sun exposure and are associated with decreasing skin elasticity. The less the % the better!

UV Acne/ Porphyrins– The ideal % in this setting is 30%, between 30-70% is considered a medium state and anything over 70% is not at all ideal. Bacterial excretions that can become lodged in the pores and lead to breakouts, porphyrins fluoresce in Uv light and exhibit circular white spots.

UV Spots– these occur when melanin coagulates below the surface of the skin surface because of sun damage. Majority of UV spots may be invisible under normal lighting conditions. Again, as little % on the chart is ideal.

Uv Moisture– Normal % on this is between 70% and 80%, like pores, we all need moisture, it is fundamental in the skin function. Over or under the ideal % indicates either a lipid dry skin or a damaged acid mantle.

Indicator

Good %

RGB Spot

Under 30%

RGB Pore

60%-70%

RGB Roughness

60%-75%

RGB Wrinkles

As low %

UV Acne/ Porphyrins

30%

UV Spot

As low %

UV Moisture

70%-80%

Why Digital?

Even with a detailed examination and consultation, how can we be sure that everything we see or hear is exactly what is happening within the skin? How dry is dry and how oily is oily? We can’t assess this by looking or guessing and this is where skin diagnostics tools become an imperative as part of a skin treatment.

Why is so much detail needed?

We should be far more aware of how the leading causes of skin conditions will affect the cells and systems of the skin. Many skin treatment practitioners approach treating the symptoms and not the cause of these skin conditions, and this can be why many treatment protocols fails to deliver the kind of results the client wants and deserve. By determining the cause, and what subsystems of the skin have been affected, more appropriate and effective plans of action can be formulated.

Four of the most important aspects we analyze:

Hydration- by monitoring the % of free water in the epidermis one is able to ascertain several key “skin health” indicators, including the condition of the first 3 lines of skin barrier defense, the enzymatic actions of the epidermis and the levels of fluid intake and dispersion of fluid intake.

Skin Lipid Levels- testing sebum or skin lipids will determine the amount of sebum being excreted to the skin surface and the state of the acid mantle. As the acid mantle is the first line of skin barrier defense, the quality of the surface fluid balance is a useful diagnostic tool.

Melanin- Increasingly important is a measurement of melanin (pigment) content of the skin. Today, with so many mixed ethnicities and gene pools, the risk factors and protocols for many treatments need to be determined before choosing a modality. Melanin is also an indicator of skin ageing and needs to be improved for general skin health.

Erythema- The measuring of the vascular mat provides information that will indicate the predisposition to permanent diffused redness and flushing. It also tells us about the density of the supporting connective tissue of the dermis, and level of damage. Measuring this provides more accurate data and more precise condition change can be determined.

Then, with the information gathered:

Once we have conducted a professional skin analysis there will be a wealth of information at our fingertips that will help us determine exactly what has gone wrong and what treatments are required.

We will know your:

Genetic history

Nutrition and lifestyle

Cosmetic and medical history

Skin type

Intrinsic characteristics (born with a genetic predisposition)

Extrinsic characteristics (developed through work/play lifestyle)

Treatment risk factors and protocols for home care

We will also discover:

Primary cause of conditions

Secondary effect on cells and systems

Priority skin conditions

Secondary Conditions

In Conclusion

Only with this knowledge can we prepare a credible summary report on skin conditions and effective treatments plans. As mentioned, the fundamentals of determining cause and identifying affected cells and systems are the cornerstones of treatment success. Without this information, it can be a “hit or miss” approach. Most often, when the cause of the skin condition is addressed first, the levels of improvement of subsequent treatment steps are accelerated; delivering faster and better results.